The Fisher King of Beverly Hills High

Beverly Hills High School is experiencing a “Running Renaissance” thanks to Head Track Coach Jeffrey Fisher.

Last Thursday night my family and I attended the Annual Track and Field Awards Banquet in the cafeteria at Beverly Hills High School. My wife and I don’t have a kid on the team. Our daughters are only 5 and 7 years old. We attended because we are fans of the Track team and their incredible coach, Mr. Jeffrey Fisher.

For the past four years, Fisher has been Head Coach and in that time, the winning team has had several members qualify and win medals at CIF Finals and State Championships. Impressive for any coach, or any sport. Fisher believes in his students’ ability to succeed. Several of them (Sydney Gray, Brianna Simmons, Alex Rohani) have won Athletic Scholarships to college.

BHHS Track Star and Future Track Star

I clock about a 1000 miles a year on the BHHS track on my daily runs and have witnessed Coach Fisher’s inspirational guidance as he pushes his team through grueling workouts. His students seek “inner excellence” and are deeply dedicated to him. They constantly look to this quiet, humble man for approval. I admit, Coach Fisher motivates me, too. He’s a fixture in Lane One. I jokingly tell him “I am training to make the team one day!”

Fisher attended college at LSU, and was a highly talented 800-meter runner. He could have been one of the greats at that distance. His own lightning fast laps around the track these days show the powerful runner that he still is, at age 31. His passion for running is evident in his commitment to his work.

Encouragement

But Fisher teaches these kids more than running. He teaches them self-discipline and to be a good person, not just an athlete. “The proof is in the pudding,” Fisher says, meaning that results are what count. Results won of hard training, dedication to craft, and having self-respect.

“I try to teach lifetime skills. These kids can run many more years than I coach them. If I can be the reason they take better care of themselves in their lives then I am doing my job. It’s not just about winning races.”

As a publicist, I have told Fisher I would be happy to promote him on the media circuit. Fisher is not looking for the spotlight and often gives more credit to his assistant coaches than he tries to grab for himself. He is a selfless yet powerful leader with quiet dignity. Fisher is the Sidney Poitier of Track Coaches and his work with the teams at Beverly High, which were somewhat unfocused in the Pre-Fisher years, has resulted in a highly respected running program.

BHHS Track at the Starting Line

People are talking about the Normans Track and Cross Country teams. With star runners in the last couple years such as the amazing Sydney Segal and Alex Rohani, both State Champions and both nationally recognized, these Beverly Hills runners are at the top of their game. At the emotional Banquet Thursday night, many spoke about the positive impact that Coach Fisher has had on their lives. The Great Alex Rohani could barely speak he was so moved and said that he “owes everything to Coach Fisher.”

Rohani on the track with runner-in-training

This was Jeffrey Fisher’s own version of “To Sir, With Love.” Fisher is now the undisputed “King” of Track Coaches at Beverly Hills High School and we, as a community are very fortunate to have him as such a positive role model for our children. My kids have a ways to go before entering Beverly Hills High, but they both run laps around the track. Fisher’s influence runs deep.

Track webmaster, Simon Langer with supporter Stan King

Team web master of BHHSTRACK.COM and Historian Simon Langer said, “Fisher has really gotten the running programs at Beverly High to a competitive level. People are talking about the runners from Beverly Hills now.”

That’s not what motivates Jeffrey Fisher, who can often be seen at early dawn at the track preparing for practice and working out the team before the sun comes up. But that’s the way it is with Royalty. They do things a little differently than ordinary people.

Hal Lifson is a Beverly Hills resident, pop culture historian and publicist. Follow him @HalLifson and visit his web site HalLifson.com.

Jonathan;
No slap to any of coach Fisher's predecessors, simply plaudits to Coach Fisher. Although it appears that the administration is set on removing him and erasing his brief legacy, Mr Lifson's article is a testament to how Coach Fisher will live long in our children's psyche!!

The track years "pre -Fisher" were great at BHHS. There have been plenty of track scholarships and STATE Title winners. This hoopla about Fisher, while nice and good spirited, is a slap in the face of the MANY coaches before him. Howard Edelman, Chuck Kloes, Bill Stansbury just to name a few of the greats. The student athletes are the ones who deserve articles written about them. Just as in every sport, there are standout athletes who excel and go on to do great things, but the sign of a great program is when every kid on the team feels like they are the most important athlete in the program, whether they finish last or first, not just the inner circle of stand out athletes

Beverly has been home to many gifted coaches and athletes over the years. My son is a solid runner, but not a star. Somehow Coach Fisher managed to keep on top of my son's progress, his injuries and most importantly helped him develop into someone who cares about doing his best and being healthy. The assistant coaches have been caring and knowledgable, too. It's been a wonderful experience for my son.

Great article, I am the parent of one of his freashman runners, Madison Golden, and I ran for one of the greatest Coaches ever many years ago, Coach Ron Alice of USC. So I know a great Coach when I see one. Coach Fisher is well on his way to becoming a great coach and a game changer in the lives on many young people. I only hope that the Admin. of Beverly Hills High realize what they have before it's too late. One of the main reason I wanted my daughter to attend Beverly Hill High was to be coach by Jeff Fisher.
Dwayne Golden

Also a parent...of a junior on track and cross-country. Coach Fisher is a selfless, disciplined, patient mentor. He's made a difference in my son's philosophy on health. What surprised me is how becoming an athlete under Coach Fisher's guidance migrated into my son's academics, too. It's win-win.